•UV/31  IT J  JVJ 


7TOT 

(Sikkaron    Moshe) 


BORN,  1805,  GAILINGEN;  DIED  MAUCH  14,  1841,  BUCHAU. 


Cll 


— BY— 


DR.  E.  SCHREIBER,  Rabbi. 
TOLEDO,  O. 


Hi:  K.   >V/, ,-,  iln  , 


BIOGKAPHV  OF 

RABBI   MOSES  BLOCK 


DR.  EMANUEL  SCHREIBER. 


DKO  ID 

"There  is  no  age  without  men  li'..e 
Samuel."  The  genius  of  humanity 
never  fails  to  produce  representatives 
of  great  spiritual  movements,  men 
needed  for  the  realization  of  new 
ideas.  This  great  historical  truth  ap- 
plies particularly  to  the  history  of 
.1  udaism  of  the  last  one  hundred  years. 
After  the  death  of  Moses  Mendels- 
sohn Judaism  had  to  pass  through  a 
crisis  the  like  of  which  it  has  only 
seen  in  the  time  of  the  Maccabaes. 
The  political  reaction  in  Prussia  after 
the  overthrow  of  the  Corsican  Titan 
made  the  civil  and  political  condition 
of  the  Jews  most  deplorable.  The 
better  educated  Jew  had  to  face  the 
painful  alternative  of  foregoing  all 
hope  of  honorably  devoting  his  tal- 
ents to  the  government  or  to  for- 
swear the  religion  of  his  fathers. 
Many  were  too  weak  to  resist 
the  temptation,  and  sold  their  birth- 
right for  a  mess  of  pottage.  While 
•we  i-annot  excuse  such  apostasy,  it 
cannot  be  denied  that  Judaism  in  the 
officinl  form  in  which  it  presented 
itself  was  not  of  a  character  to  in- 
sp  ra  with  enthusiasm  the  new  gen- 
eration, bred  under  the  most  refining 


influences  of  classical  Hellas  and 
Rome,  so  as  to  make  them  prefer  the 
glory  of  martyrdom  to  the  crown  of 
civic  honors. 

There  was  on  the  one  side  the  spir- 
it of  the  Encyclopaedists,  of  Voltaire, 
and  of  the  French  Revolution  mak- 
ing war  on  every  form  of  religion. 
On  the  other  side  German  Judaism 
was  officially  under  the  baneful 
influence  of  Polish  rabbis,  Polish 
teachers,  Polish  chazanim  (cantors), 
Polish  Darshanim  (preachers),  Polish 
Cheders  (so-called  "schools"),  Polish 
disorder,  Polish  noise  and  lack  of  de- 
corum in  the  service  of  the  syna- 
gogue, and  Polish  fanaticism  and  re- 
sistance against  every  innovation. 
Men  like  Moses  Sofer,*  who  warned 
his  offspring  against  touching  Moses 
Mendelssohn's  translation  of  the 
Pentateuch,  said  in  full  earnest, 

bn  minn  p  ^IDK  cnnn 

(All  innovation  is  prohibited     01HQ 

and  utterly  objectionable),  possessed 
the  controlling  power  in  Juda'stn. 

'\  he  contrasts  between  cosmopolitan 
rationalism  and  belief  in  tradition, 

S.<  [Ribbi  MOSE  DESSAU]    'Yo' 


the  conflicts  between  the  philosopher 
Mendelssohn*  and  the  orthodox  Jew 
Mendelssohn,-]-  were  too  glaring  to  be 
equalized  by  a  sentimental  piety  of 
which  the  new  generation  knew  very 
little.  The  generation  reared  under 
the  influence  of  Mendelssohn's  legal- 
ism  refused  to  lead  a  double  life. 
If  reason  is  free,  they  claimed  the 
right  to  be  free.  If  Judaism  is  less 
than  reason,  then  it  is  a  stranger 
in  the  world  of  modern  thought. 
Indeed,  Mendelssohn's  own  children 
and  thousands  with  them,  who  cared 
more  for  a  heart-appeasing,  soul- 
stirring  religion  than  for  a  Jewish 
commonwealth  and  its  Palestinian 
national  laws,  left  the  storm-beaten 
flaff,  inscribed  with  the  immortal 

O  ' 

truth:  "Hear,  oh  Israel,  the  Eternal 
is  One."  Do  we  not  find  analogous 
cases  today?  Do  we  not  see  how, 
under  the  very  eyes  of  orthodox 
parents,  their  Jewish  sons  and 
daughters  are  swelling  the  ranks  of 

D  ~ 

Ingersoll  and  his  partisans?*  The 
few  liturgical  reforms  which  are  in- 
troduced in  some  synagogues  in 
obedience  to  aesthetic  wants  failed 

*As  a  philosopher  Mendelssohn  be- 
lieved In  natural  religion,  denied  revela- 
tion, miracles,  and  condemned  soulless 
ceremonialism. 

fAs  a  Jew  Mendelssohn  insisted  on  tin- 
eternal  validity  of  every  Mosaic  rabbini- 
cal law. 

JAM  those  Russian  Jewish  nihilists, 
who  yearly  disgrace  American  Judaism 
by  celebrating  wild  orgies  on  the  Day  ol 
Atonement  are  sons  of  ultra-orthodox 
parents. 


signally  to  cure  a  disease  which  was 
eating  into  the  very  heart  of  Juda- 
ism. To  this  must  be  added  that 
the  better  element  was  disgusted 
with  the  aping  of  protestantism,  lack 
of  substance  and  vitality,  the  shallow 
moralizing  tone  of  the  new  preach- 
ers, the  superficial  views  of  Judaism 
which  not  a  few  of  them  scattered 
among  the  multitude.  It  may  in- 
deed be  asked,  how  could  better 
things  have  been  expected  at  that 
time?  The  great  facts  of  Jewish 
',:i.<t<>ry  were  not  yet  clearly  known, 
the  philosophy  of  Judaism  was  pro- 
portionately vague  and  uncertain. 
No  Jewish  author  of  consequence 
had  undertaken  to  write  the  annals 
of  his  coreligionists;  chaotic  confu- 
sion reigned  in  their  chronicles.  To 
know  what  Judaism  is  it  is  of  the 
utmost  necessity  to  ascertain  in  the 
first  instance  what  it  has  been.  'I  hi 
past  will  prove  the  index  to  the 
future.* 

This  was  one  of  the  most  critical 
epochs  in  the  checkered  history  of 
Israel.  Was  then  Judaism  doomed 
to  death?  Was  it  preserved  during 
the  persecutions  of  centuries  at  the 
price  of  the  precious  blood  of  so  many 
martyrs  and  heroes  in  order  f> 
die  now  of  inanition?  Could  it  only 
thrive  and  flourish  in  the  darkness  of 
the  ghetto  but  not  bear  the  refresh- 
ing and  emancipating  influence  of 

a  very  graphic  description  of  this 
period  in  Jost's  "Das  Judenthum  uud 
seine  Sekten,"  III,  pp.  833,  334,  and  es- 
pecially 335, 


the  nineteenth  century.  No,  a  hun- 
dred times  no!  \\7hen  the  night  is 
at  its  darkest  the  sun's  reviving  light 
is  nearest.  In  those  trying  days  the 
science  of  Judaism  was  born.  It  be- 
came the  savior  who  consoled  weep- 
ing Judaism  in  the  words  of  the  pro- 
phet to  the  mourning  Rachel,  "Cease 
crying,  for  there  is  reward  for  thy 
woik,  and  thy  children  will  return 
unto  thee." 

Two  men  arose,  Leopold  Zunz  and 
Abraham  Geiger.  The  former  was 
the  founder  of  a  science  of  Judaism, 
the  latter  was  the  founder  of  a 
scientific  theology  of  Judaism,  and 
laid  the  basis  of  the  reform  on  the 
adamantine  rock  of  science. 

Around  the  standard  whioh  Geiger 
bad  unfurled  a  bright  galaxy  of 
earnest  and  courageous  rabbis  and 
other  brilliant  intellects  of  modern 
Israel  soon  gathered.  They,  one  and 
all,  agreed  with  him  in  the  main  prop- 
osition, a  desire  to  reconcile  science 
and  life  (Wissenschaft  \ind  Leben 
in  Einklaug  zu  bringen).  They 
were  nearly  all  young  men  fresh 
from  the  universities,,  profoundly 
versed  in  Hebrew  and  rabbinical 
lore,  zealous  lovers  of  their  religion, 
equipped  with  the  elements  of  an- 
cient and  modern  culture  and  anx- 
ious to  harmonize  the  conflicting 
claims  of  both  in  their  private  lives 
and  public  stations.  Many  of  them 
underwent  severe  trials  for  the  sake 
of  their  convictions.  They  were  de- 
%nounced  by  their  opponents  (in  those 
days  a  religious  antagonist  was  as  a 


rule  a  personal  enemy),  to  the  gov- 
ernments as  demagogues,  revolution- 
ists, dangerous  foes  of  monarchy  a. 
s.  f.  Every  attempt  was  made  by  the 
orthodox  party  to  prevent  the  gov- 
ernment from  sanctioning  the  elec- 
tion of  these  men  as  rabbis.*  They 
were  subjected  while  in  office  to 
numberless  petty  annoyances,  and 
even  actual  force  was  employed  to 
check  their  growing  popularity. 
Geiger  for  instance  was  thrown  into 
an  open  grave  by  a  fanatic  while  of- 
ficiating at  a  funeral  in  the  city  of 
Breslau  (1842);  Abraham  Kohn  was 
poisoned  in  Lernberg  by  the  Polish 
Jews  (1849);  Aaron  Corin  was  re- 
ceived by  a  volley  of  stones  when 
entering  the  yard  of  the  synagogue 
in  Ofen,  and  was  bitterly  cursed 
while  preaching  in  Arad.  Leopold 
Loew  and  Einhorn  underwent  similar 
experiences  in  Hungary. 

People  in  our  days  have  absolutely 
no  comprehension  of  the  almost  in- 
surmountable difficulties  those  pio- 
neers of  Reform -Judaism  bad  to  con- 
tend with.  They  had  to  fight  not 
only  against  stublo.n  unreasoning 
and  hence  unreasonable  orthodoxy, 
but  against  the  large  number  of  Jew- 
ish atheists,  or  rationalists,  who  cried, 
Orthodoxy  or  no  Judaism!  We  all, 
at  least  we  Reform-rabbis,  know 
that  even  today  in  this  enlightened 
age,  in  this  free  and  progressive 
country,  thousands  of  Jews  can  be 

*In  Germany  even  today  no  rabbi  can 
enter  upon  his  position  without  the  sanc- 
tion of  the  government. 


found  who  hold  exactly  the  same 
false  and  absurd  opinions.  "Why, 
our  great  men  of  the  ethical  culture 
societies  still  rehash  this  old  non- 
sense. Whether  they  are  right  who 
claim  that  the  ethical  culturists 
themselves  are  not  sincere  in  making 
such  statements  (statements  which 
are  not  at  all  complimentary  to  th^ir 
boasted  "superior"  intellect),  we  are 
not  prepared  to  decide.  Certain  it 
is  that  vhenever  men  become  lead- 
ers of  movements  and  parties  they 
are  liable  to  say  things  which  they 
would  have  left  unsaid  had  nit  p<>!i 
cy  directed  their  expressions.  We 
allude  as  unum  pro  multis  to  a  lec- 
ture delivered  by  Felix  Adler  on 
the  Pittsburg  platform  of  Reform- 
Judaism.  We  were  not  surprised 
that  our  orthodox  Jewish  and  Chris- 
tian press  hailed  with  joy  the  con- 
demnation of  Reform-Judai»m  by 
the  eloquent  professor  and  disciplo 
of  Samuel  Adler  and  Abraham 
Geij/er,  But  we  are  not  quite  sure, 
whether  the  fact  that  consistent, 
radical  Reform -Judaism  is  about  the 
only  religious  factor  of  which  ethi- 
cal culture  has  every  reason  to  be 
afraid  had  nothing  to  do  with  this 
peculiar  alliance  between  t-thical cul- 
ture and  .Jewish  orthodoxy  a^ 
Reform -Judaism.  It  reminds  one  of 
the  alliance  between  Ammon  and 
Moab  against  Israel  of  old,  or,  to  use 
a  mo;  illustration,  of  the  alli- 

ance between  JI'-puMican  Fram 
despotic     :  against    Germany. 

"Politics  make  strange  bed-fell- 


One  of  the  old  soldiers  in  this  army 
of  progressive  rabbinism  is  the  sub- 
ject of  our  sketch,  Rabbi  Jf  -• - 
Block  of  Buchau,  whose  early  demise 
is  a  great  loss  to  the  cause  of  Re- 
form-Judaism. 

Moses  Bloeh  was  born  in  1805  in 
Gailingen  in  the  district  of  Baden. 
His  friend,  Rabbi  Leopold  Schott  of 
Randegg.  who  published  shortly 
after  Bloch's  death  a  necrologue* 
divides  his  life  into  four  periods.  As 
a  boy  he  as  well  as  his  parents  con- 
sidered the  study  of  the  Talmud  the 
goal  and  ideal  of  human  knowl- 
edge and  research.  Thus  he  was 
initiated  into  the  mysteries  of  the 
Halacha  and  Agada  by  teachers  in 
Gailingen  and  Endingen  in  the  can- 
ton of  Aargau.  It  is  needl«  - 
say  that  young  Bloch  studied  assid- 
uously and  most  /.ealously.  For  it 
was  one  of  his  characteristics  to  do 
whatever  he  did  with  all  his  heart 

PI  jl£fcO«  -^s  was  tne  ru^e  i"  those 
days  his  teachers  were  very  orthodox. 
In  fact  they  knew  nothing  different. 
After  two  years'  sojourn  in  Fn- 
dingen  young  Moses  at  the  age  of 
fifteen  wont  to  Karlsruhe.  Here  be- 
gan the  second  period  of  his  life. 

Many  a  prominent  reform-rabbi  of 
Germany  (Joseph  Kahn,  Trier  and 
others)  studied  the  Talmud  under  the 
auspices  of  Jacob  Ettlinger  (later 
rabbi  of  Altona),  in  Karlsruhe,  which 
was  then  quite  a  center  of  rabbinical 
Here  young  Bloch  entered 
upon  th'-  M-rond  period  of  his  life. 

N<>.  :'.2  ami  .V,   [  : 


In  bis  fifteenth  year  he  studied  the 
Talmud  and  Bible,  the  Jewish  relig- 
ious philosophers  and  the  new  He- 
brew literature.  With  greatest  at- 
tention and  assiduity  he  heard  the 
lectures  of  the  profound  scholar  and 
famous  chief  rabbi,  Asher  Loew.  It 
goes  without  saying  that  it  was  no 
easy  matter  to  master  these  studies 
in  those  days,  when  every  branch  of 
knowledge  was  aquired  in  the  Jeshi- 
ba  in  an  auto-didactic  manner  and 
without  system.  And  yet  the  Jeshi- 
ba  of  olden  days  was  far  more  than 
the  theological  seminaries  of  the  pres- 
ent the  fountain  at  which  gigan- 
tic minds  and  heroes  of  deep  thought 
and  profound  learning  have  acquired 
that  immense  erudition  and  astonish- 
ing knowledge  of  Talmudic  lore  for 
which  the  reform-rabbis  of  Germany 
in  that  classical  period  were  cele- 
brated. Bloch  \\i\s  so  enthusiastic 
and  ambitious  for  his  chosen  calling 
and  for  the  acquisition  of  higher  cul- 
ture that  in  order  to  quench  his  thirst 
after  knowledge  he  devoted  night 
as  well  as  day  to  the  uses  of  study. 
He  soon  was  recognized  as  one  of  the 
most  prominontl?acAurMH  (students), 
was  considered  an  excellent  />///,//- 
//.-•/,  i.  e.,  well  versed  in  the  intrica- 
cies and  argumentations  of  Talmudic 

o 

controversy.  It  is  needless  to  say 
that  to  be  master  (Charif)  in  this  art 
was  regarded  in  the  light  of  a  great 
distinction.  Bloch  wrote  good  He- 
brew, was  also  a  fine  Biblical  scholar, 
made  himseif  quite  familiar  with  the 
classics  (Schiller,  Goethe,  Klopstock, 


Leasing  a.  s.  f.),  and  studied  his- 
tory and  the  natural  sciences.  He  also 
attended  the  higher  classes  of  the 
lyceum,  and  found  time  to  read  med- 
ical works,  for  which  he  always 
manifested  a  great  partiality.  During 
this  period  of  his  life  he  was  almost 
hyperothodox  in  the  practice  of  the 
Jewish  religious  ceremonies.  Every 
burden  of  the  latest  casuists  was 
most  scrupulously  observed  by  him. 
He  saw  in  those  observances  the  only 
means  to  the  attainment  of  the  tru«» 
ideal  of  an  Israelite.  Asceticism 
carried  out  to  its  utmost  extent- 
was  to  him  the  only  guarantee  of 
Godliness.  He  would  lay  two- 
kinds  of  7V//////?,  abstain  from 
reading  a  German  book  on  the 
Sabbath,  from  eating  or  drinking  on 
the  eve  of  the  new  moon,  etc.  Were 
it  not  for  his  kindness  of  heart  he 
would  have  been  capable  at  that 
s*age  of  his  life  of  persecuting  fanati- 
cally every  Jew  who  did  not  observe 
the  religious  ceremonies.  But  he  was 
genial  in  his  social  intercourse,  and 
possessed  the  love  and  respect  of  his 
teachers,  <-OHUII  iHtons,  and  all  tin  se 
who  knew  him.  It  is  doubtful  wheth- 
er a  student  was  ever  more  popular 
in  a  strange  city  than  was  Moses 
Bloch  in  Karlsruhe. 

In  1825  Bloch  followed  his  teacher 
Ettlinger  to  Mannheim.  Here  be- 
gins the  third  period  of  his  life.  For 
here  he  prepared  himself  for  the  uni- 
versity and  here  he  met  with  his 
future  wife,  who  exercised  a  bene- 
ficial influence  on  his  intellectual  de- 


6 

velopment.  After  a  sojourn  of  one 
year  and  a  half  in  Mannheim  he  en- 
tered the  University  of  Heidelberg. 
There  he  studied  philosophy,  history, 
philology  and  orientalia  under 
Paulus,  Ehrhard,  Daub,  Schwartz, 
Abegg  and  others.  But  he  found 
time  to  continue  his  rabbinical  studies 
under  Solomon  Fuerst*,  district-rabbi 
at  Heidelberg,  where  he  was  no 
doubt  greatly  influenced  in  favor  of 
progress  and  reform.  After  receiving 
his  rabbinical  diploma  from  Fuersi 
he  went  to  Wuertemburg,  passed 
his  examination  in  Stuttgart  (1829) 
and  was  appointed  rabbi  at  Oberdorf, 
O.  A.  Neresheim.  In  1834  he  was 
promoted  to  the  rabbinate  of  Buchau, 
O.  A.  Riedlingen. 

Now  commenced  the  fourth  and 
most  important  period  of  his  life,  his 
public  activity  as  rabbi,  preacher, 
theological  scholar  and  reformer. 
Baden's  loss  was  Wuertemberg's 
gain.  Bloch's  great  Biblical,  Talmud- 
ical,  philosophical  and  historical 
scholarship  coupled  with  enthusiasm, 
tact  and  amiable  social  qualities 
made  him  influential  and  beloved  not 
only  in  his  congregation,  but  in 
the  synagogue  of  Wuertemberg. 
This  organization  was  composed  of 
thirteen  congregations. 

\Vuertemberg  was  the    first 
man  state  where  the  civil  and 


*Hui.dreds  of  rabbis  who  studicii  in 
Heidelberg  owed  a  debt  of  gratitude  to 
Ibis  noble  teacher  in  Israel.  J-'m-rst  \\;i- 

bornln  Mannheim,  IT'.'-.'.      If:-   MM 
rabbi  In  Bayretith. 


ions  circumstances  of  the  Jews  were 
regulated  by  the  government.  The 
law  of  April  25, 1828,  which  declared 
the  Jews  citizens  of  Wuertemberg 
decreed  also  the  appointment  of  an 
ecclesiastical  body  (Oberkirchenbe- 
hoerde),  and  made  German  sermons 
on  the  Sabbath  and  holidays  obliga- 
tory. The  sermon  was  in  fact  made 
one  of  the  most  important  functions 
of  the  ministers.  Confirmation  and 
a  reformed  ritual  were  also  intro- 
duced into  the  synagogue  through 
the  instrumentality  of  this  ecclesi- 
astical body.  Like  every  innovation 
these  reforms  met  with  opposition  at 
the  beginning,  but  were  later  hailed 
with  respect. 

This  spirit  of  reform  made  a  great 
change  in  Bloch.  From  an  ascetic 
follower  of  the  old  traditions  he  de- 
veloped into  a  critic  who  investi- 
gated the  historical  reasons  and 
motives  of  the  growth  of  Judaism. 
He  was  an  able  contributor  to  Gei- 
ger's  "Zeitschrift  facr  Juedif/ic 
Theologie^  (See  his  articles  on  the 
"Holidays"  a.  s.  f.  vol.  IV),  and  took 
part  in  the  first  rabbinical  conference 
in  the  interest  of  reform,  held  in  Au- 
gust 1837  in  Wiesbaden.  This  con- 
ference was  called  by  Geiger  and 
was  att.-ir'fil  hy  I  )rs.  Geiger,  Kohn, 
of  1 1  '>IICIIIMIIS;  Mayer,  of  Stuttgart; 
Blorh,  of  Biiclmu;  Wasserman,  of 
Mii.-hriii<rf ii;  \VaiMifr.  of  Mannheim; 
Herxheimer,  of  Brrnl>ur<r;  Aub,  of 
Br\  r.-utlr.  Stein,  of  Burirkunstadt; 
Giittmjtn,  of  U-(lsvit/.;  l.ocwy  and 
Weolisler,  of  Fuerth;  Friedlaender, 


of  Brilon,  then  eighty  years  old; 
Gruenebaum,  of  Landau;  Hess  of 
Eisenach  came  too  late;  Selz  and 
Xeubuerger  of  Uehlefeld  sent  ex- 
cuses, but  declared  their  sympathy. 
While  we  cannot  chronicle  great 
tangible  results  of  this  conference, 
the  mere  fact  that  the  most  intelli- 
gent and  cultured  rabbis  of  Germa 
Ly  had  assembled  to  discuss  subjects 
pertaining  to  a  reform  of  Judaism 
was  in  itself  a  result  of  important 
consequence  for  the  future.  True, 
their  orthodox  opponents  ridiculed 
it,  saying  that  nothing  was  done. 
The  samp  thing  was  said  by  the  or- 
thodoxy after  every  similar  assembly 
in  the  last  fifty  years.  But  it  was, 
to  say  the  least,  a  proof  of  courage 
and  self-denial  that  those  rabbis  were 
not  afraid  to  attend  such  an  assem- 
bly which  was  called  together  for 
the  purpose  of  advancing  the  cause 
of  progress  and  reform  among  the 
Jews.  Loevy,  Guttman,  Kohn,  Blocb, 
Wechsler,  Herxheimer  and  Aub  are 
complimented  by  Geiger  in  his  letter 
to  Jacob  Auerbach  (August  22, 
1837),  for  their  zeal  and  activity.  It 
was  resolved  that  practical  ques- 
tions should  be  discussed  in  the  Zeit- 
schrift  and  that  the  rabbis  should 
give  their  opinions  and  final  votes 
on  them.  Loewy,  Mayer  and  Stein 
were  appointed  a  committee  to  pub- 
lish a  home  prayer-book  in  accord 
with  the  demands  of  the  times.  The 
report  spread  by  the  orthodoxy  that 
the  members  of  the  conference  were 
ordered  by  the  government  to  dis- 
band proved,  of  course,  ui.true. 


By  his  attendance  at  this  confer- 
ence and  his  contributions  to  Gei- 
ger's  Zeitechrijt,  which  was  consid- 
ered in  those  days  an  heretical  pub- 
lication, Bloch  had  boldly  taken 
sides  with  the  reformers  and  pro- 
claimed his  championship  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  historical-critical  school 
of  progressive  rabbinism.  This  school 
advocated  '  the  progressive  develop- 
ment of  Judaism,  and  tried  to  prove 
historically  the  origin  and  growth  of 
the  Jewish  ceremonial  law.  By  this 
critical  method  it  was  easily  shown 
how  a  great  many  of  the  ceremonies, 
customs  and  usages  of  the  Jews  and 
their  raison  cf  etre  in  certain  cir- 
cumstances had  outlived  the  sphere 
of  their  usefulness  in  our  age  and 
amidst  occidental  surroundings.  Rs- 
form  is  nothing  new,  as  changes  have 
taken  place  in  all  ages  and  climes 
in  accord  with  the  demands  and  ex- 
igencies cf  the  t'mes.  On  account 
of  the  dispersion  of  Israel  among  all 
nations  their  religious  institutions 
were  by  no  means  free  from  non- 
Jewish  influences.  It  was  in  partic- 
ular pointed  out  where  reform  was 
needed.  This  system  is  justly  des- 
ignated as  historical-critical,  based 
as  it  is  on  scientific  research  and  in- 
vestigation. 

It  goes  without  saying  that  Bloch 
lost  some  of  his  former  friends 
through  his  change  of  front.  But 
while  he  regretted  this  fact  he  was 
too  honest  to  change  his  con- 
viction and  principles.  As  is  usual 
in  such  cases  exaggerated  reports  of 
his  radicalism  and  of  his  neglect  of 


the  Jewish  observances  were  spread 
abroad.  It  was  with  sarcasm  he 
answered  those  heresy-hunters  in  a 
well  written  Hebrew  poem,  of  which 
the  first  etanzn  reads  thu->:  "Your 
father  Abraham  despised  the  idols 
For  lie  said  'Thi-ru'-h  my  father  had 
taught  me  falsehood.'  Had  not 
Abraham  listened  to  the  teachings  of 
his  deluded  generation,  everyone 
would  bend  his  knee  to  idols  even  to 
this  day.  But  the  righteous  pilgrim 

left  his  home he  did  not  know 

his  father  nor  did    he    recognize    his 
bio.hers." 

Bloch  took  part  in  the  councils  re- 
garding the  new  order  of  the  syna- 
gogue and  assisted  in  the  edition  of 
text  books  for  rr-liuious  schools.  In 
Jost's"Israeliti{>c/te  Annalen"  he  jus- 
tified his  advanced  ideas  on  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Messiah.  In  1838  heassist- 
edin  the  examination  of  candidates  for 
the  office  of  rabbi,  which  well  illus- 
trates the  esteem  in  which  he  was  held 
by  the  government.  As  a  preacher  he 
has  shown  great  talent  and  what  is 
better,  enthusiasm  ;u.d  honesty  of 
purpose.  He  lived  and  died  for  bis 
calling-  When  his  wife,  knowing  of 
hi-i  treacherous  disease  (consumption), 
i>egged  him  not  to  preach  so  con- 
stantly he,  well  awHrr  of  his  danger, 
answered:  '•!  would  rather  die  than 
live  without  fu.'fi  ling  mv  duty.''  I  It- 
knew  that  his  end  was  near  at  hand. 
To  those  who  offered  him  consolation 
he  said:  "SpMr^  this  for  my  wife  and 
children."  lit-  w.-i*  not  afraid  of 
death  and  he  expressed  this  sentiment 
in  a  touching  poem.* 

•Jost's  Antialen  (1841,  No.  33). 


As  a  husband  and  father  Moses 
"Bloch  was  a  model.  He  devoted  his 
leisure  hours  only  to  his  family.  His 
wife  assisted  him  in  his  labors,  but 
for  only  six  yenrs  were  they  permitted 
to  enjoy  the  blessings  of  married 
life,  their  engagement  having  lasted 
eight  years.  A  tretcherous  fever 
ended  the  u=eful  career  of  a  man 
who  would  have  shed  glory  and 
lustre  over  the  cause  of  Judaism. 
One  of  his  son?,  Gottlieb  Bloch,  is 
well  versed  in  Hebrew  rabbinical 
literature,*  and  has  been  mainly  in- 
strumental in  the  establishment  of 
the  reform  congregation  in  Toledo, 
over  which  be  presides. 

Moses  Bloch  has  left  in  manuscript 
a  number  of  sermons  from  which  we 
make  the  following  extracts: 

Jn  a  sermon  dedicating  the  new 
synagogue  at  Buchauf  (August  30, 
1839),  he  said:  "It  was  a  custom  in 
olden  times  to  ask  pardon  in  a 
synagogue  before  leaving  it  for  the 
purpose  of  giving  it  over  tj  other 
uses.  We  will  do  so  now  in  a  form 
more  in  accord  with  our  ideas  than 
that  used  by  our  forefathers.  We 
therefore  do  not  a^>k  whether  we  des- 
ecrate this  temple  by  taking  leave 
of  it  today.  But  we  do  ask  whether 
we  have  not  off  ended  against  ourselves 
within  its  wall  by  our  unseemly  bo- 
haviorinthe  sanctuary?  Was  God  in 

•We  wish  the  majority  of  our  Ameri- 
can rabbis  were  as  learned  in  Jewish 
literature  as  this  Uyrnan. 

finis  is  the  only  published  sermon  of 
Bloch. 


our  heart  whenever  vie  uttered  bis 
name  with  our  lips?  If  so  then  we  have 
not  been  direlict  in  our  duties  of 
reverence  in  this  house.  In  compar- 
ing the  new  temple  with  the  old  we 
see  in  its  beautiful  forms  symbols  of 
the  better  civil  and  social  condition  of 
modern  Israel.  For  while  churches 
were  situated  in  the  most  prominent 
streets,  their  steeples  reaching  to- 
waHs  heaven,  the  synagogue  stood  in 
a  hidden  corner,  like  a  widow  with 
her  orphans  weeping  in  her  sorrow 
and  humbly  bowing  her  face  to 
earth.  Now,  however,  that  people 
begin  to  recognize  in  the  Jew  the 
mor^l  man  honor  is  given  to  Israel's 
Go'l  and  glory  to  his  worship,  and 
our  temple  stands  triumphant  on 
the  corner  of  prominent  streets  of 
tlie  city  and  proclaims  loudly: 


(Praise  ye  God  in  his  sanctuary)." 
This  verse  is  the  inscription  in  Hebrew 
and  German  over  the  entrance  of  the 
tt  inple  in  Buchau,*  this  being  the 
only  synagogue  in  the  world  which 
possesses  a  regular  church  belfry. 
The  sermon  continues:  "Oh  that  our 
fathers  and  the  fathers  of  our  Chris- 
tian brethren  could  arise  from  their 
g  aves  and  be  witnesses  of  the  love 
v  Inch  their  children  manifest  today 
in  the  presence  of  the  father  of  all 
creation  ....  We  build  houses  of  God 
in  order  to  edify  ourselves,  we  con- 
secrate synagogues  in  order  to  con- 
secrate ourselves.  If  we  desire  to 

*The  temple  in  Toledo,  Ohio,  bears  the 
same  inscription  over  its  entrance. 


9 

find  God  here  it  is  necessary  that  we 
should  have  sought  him  before. 
Whosoever  enrers  these  halls  without 
being  worthy  of  God's  service  before 
he  enters  will  Imrdly  leave  them  a 
servant  of  God.  If  one  should  come 
here  torn  by  doubts,  poor  in 
hope  and  faith,  in  order  to  have  per- 
formed a  miraculous  cure  we  would 
pity  such  an  unfortunate  one  because 
of  his  blindness. 

We  have  not  built  a  miracle  work- 
ing temple.  We  could  not  and  would 
not  if  we  could.... The  gates  of  the 
synagogue  are  open  even  to  the  hyp- 
ocrite, but  the  portals  of  mercy  are 
shut  to  him.  ..  .Take,  oh  God,  this 
house  under  thy  powerful  protection, 
guard  it  from  destruction,  guard  it 
from  desecration  of  its  holy  offices 
by  ourselves.  May  it  never  be  wit- 
ness of  cant  and  fawning  sanctimo- 
nv;  may  never  false  sacrifices,  which 
are  an  abomination  in  thy  eyes,  be 
offered  here." 

Fifty -five  years  ago  it  ivas  certain- 
ly a  manifestation  of  great  courage 
and  independence  to  thus  arraign 
hypocrisy  and  false  pretense.  But 
Bloch  bad  both  courage  and  prin- 
ciple. 

From  a  sermon  preached  in  Bu- 
chau on  Sibbath  J'Tn  (before  tlie 
ninth  day  of  Abj,  we  cull  the  fol- 
lowing passage: 

"It  is  a  disease  of  long  standing 
in  Israel  which  has  caused  it  to  lo.'e 
taste  and  sense  for  those  things 
whicli  are  its  ovn,  which  are  useful 
to  it,  and  it  has  caused  Israel  to  de- 


10 

nounce  the  water  which  flows  from 
its  own  wells,  and  to  extol  only  the 
water  which  flows  from  other  springs. 
Strange  food  only  is  palatable  to  the 
dwellers  in  Israel*. . .  .Like  the  peo- 
ple of  Sodom  they  are  atflicted  with 
blindness.  . .  .There  was  the  city  of 
God  but  God  did  not  dwell  therein; 
there  stood  the  temple  of  God,  but 
only  the  name  made  it  such.  The 
father's  house  stood  open  but  the 
children  did  not  enter  to  receive  the 
father's  love,  but  to  grieve  him  by 
their  iniquity.  The  holy  city,  once 
the  city  of  righteousness  and  truth, 
became  a  den  of  murderers  (Isa.  1, 
21).  The  moat  prominent  people 
were  as  wioked  as  the  lowest,  self- 
ishness and  inclination  guided  their 
actions,  while  virtue  and  duty  were 
empty  phrases.  The  weak  and  the 
innocent  were  forsaken  by  tha  great. 
For  such  evil  deeds  as  cried  to 
heaven  they  wanted  to  atone  by 
means  of  sacrifices  and  prayers;  from 
the  wrong  they  inflicted  on  man  they 
wished  to  be  absolved  by  the  priest; 
the  blood  of  animals  was  to  atone 
for  the  blood  shed  in  the  name  of 
God;  the  impurity  of  the  soul  be 
expunged  by  lip  service  and  cere- 
monies. 

The  true,  conscientious  and  sin- 
cere servants  of  God,  who  proclaimed 

*These  words  are  particularly  true  and 
applicable  In  this  country.  Let  a  Chris- 
tian preacher  say  something  in  a  J»-\\i»!i 
t»-:nple  and  the  Jews  will  go  wild  over  It. 
Let  their  own  rabbi  -inn-  tliinir. 

say  it  even  better,  and  they  hardly  h'-;ir. 


the  pure  word  of  God,  were  ridiculed; 
the  prophets  who  warned  and  ad- 
monished in  the  name  of  God  were 
scoffed  at.  Noble  Isaiah  spoke  the 
truth  unreservedly  and  openly,  and 
for  doing  this  he  comp'ains  that  no- 
body cared  to  hear  him.  When  he 
attacked  most  mercilessly  the  weak 
points  of  the  people,  he  was  perse- 
cuted. But  he  trusted  in  God,  and 
in  the  consciousness  of  his  victorious 
cause  he  exclamed,  "Whosoever says 
that  I  was  mistaken,  let  him  prove 
jt."  The  prophet  Jeremiah  fared 
still  worse.  Amos,  who  poured  out 
the  vials  of  his  wrath  against  im- 
moral and  Icentious  princes,  was 
ordered  out  of  the  country;  but  he 
was  not  afraid  of  the  mighty  ones  in 
the  land,  and  God  was  with  him,  but 
the  people  were  not  with  u-od.  Thus 
Israel  hastened  its  inevitable  decline. 
They  saw  with  open  eyes  the  abyss 
before  them,  but  were  deaf  to  the 
signal  of  danger.  But  who  is  more 
blind  than  he  who  does  not  want  to 
see,  and  more  deaf  than  he  who  does 
not  want  to  hear? 

Thus  it  is  today  with  the  house  of 
Israel ...  It  is  true,  Israel  has  learned 
to  know  its  transgressions,  but  has 
it  forsaken  them?  This  is  a  ques- 
tion which  we  cannot  satisfactorily 
answer.  Israel  has  suffered  more 
than  any  other  people  on  the  face  of 
the  globe,  our  history  is  fuller  of  sad 
experience  than  any  other  history  of 
nnunns.  In  every  calamity  we  have 
returned  to  God,  but  no  sooner  is 
the  calamity  over  than  our  humility 


is  also  gone.  The  god  of  Israel  is 
to  Israel  only  a  helper  in  need,  but 
in  joyful  times  Israel  does  not  care 
for  God's  friendship. 

We  often  hear  learned  men  of  today 
in  their  arrogant  vanity  arraign  the 
former  generations  because  of  their 
worship  of  idols,  because  of  their 
faith  in  the  efficacy  of  sacrificial  of- 
ferings and  because  of  their  ridicule 
of  the  prophets  whose  office  and  duty 
it  was  to  warn,  to  admonish  and  to 
chastise  in  sermon  and  speech.  Oh, 
that  our  dead  could  arise  from  their 
graves  and  answer  th^se  reproaches 
of  the  present!  In  imagination  we 
hear  them  now,  and  in  their  name  we 
speak  to  the  present  generation. 
Look  to  yourself  before  you  judge 
others.  D'TIX  131L"P  'a'.TN'i  -pVP  CIB'P 
You  of  the  present  day  aie  in  posses- 
sion of  the  accumulated  experience 
of  almost  twenty  centuries;  you  have 
the  benefit  of  the  knowledge,  wisdom 
and  science  of  the  olden  times  and  of 
the  new  age  with  the  thousands  of 
witnesses  numerous  teachers  have 
collected  and  written  for  you.  But 
where  is  your  wisdom?  Where  is 
your  virtue?  In  what  do  you  show 
yourselves  better  than  we  were? 
Suppose  ihe  prophet  should  appear 
today,  would  lie  not  arraign  you  also 
for  devoting  your  whole  lives  anil 
ambitions  to  materialism  and  enjo^  - 
ment?  Read  the  sermon  contained 
in  the  first  chapter  of  the  enthusiastic 
Isaiah  and  \ou  will  find  that  if  every 
reproach  does  not  touch  you,  it  is  not 
due  to  your  greater  virtue  but  to  the 


11 

change  of  times  and  circumstances. 
Would  you  of  today  persecute  your 
prophets  less  should  they  tell  you  an 
unvarnished  tale  of  your  deeds  and 
desires,  as  they  did  in  former  days? 
Would  you  decry  and  revile  them 
less  today  if  they  should  venture  to 
touch  without  gloves  the  sore  spot  of 
your  religious  and  moral  life,  as  is  the 
duty  of  every  physician  who  intends 
to  heal  the  sick  and  cure  the  halt? 
That  you  are  no  better  than  your 
progenitors  in  this  respect  you  have 
shown  by  your  actions  towards  your 
present  teachers,  who  only  strive  to 
repeat  the  words  of  the  old  prophets.* 
You  would  spare  them  no  hostility 
nor  bitterness,  were  it  not  that  God's 
providence  protects  the  teacheis  of 
every  religion  from  insult  and  mal- 
treatment,-^ while  the  old  prophets 
were  given  up  by  the  worldly  powers 
to  the  wrath  of  the  people.  What 
then  ju^t'fies  you  in  elevating  your- 
selves above  the  generations  of  yore? 

*Bloch  alludes  to  the  disapproval  by 
his  congregation  of  a  sermon  on  "Fraud 
and  Cheating"  delivered  by  him.  Very 
few  are  the  rabbis  in  this  country  who 
undergo  such  experiences,  for  they  are 
shrewd,  therefore  seldom  preach  but 
srivf  lectures  ta  which  have 

nothing  to  do  with  the  .Fi-wish  pulpit. 
In  this  way  they  naturally  will  offend  no- 
body and  please  son;".  \Yh<»- 
of  a  .lew  being  offended  by  a  lecture 
on  ••Snowllakes."  ''Sanitary  Plumbing" 
or  "Evolution." 

f  Bloch  evidently  refers  to  the  fact  that 
in  \Yuertemberg  the  rabbis  were  govern- 
ment ollieials  and  consequently  pro- 
tected. 


12 

Have  you  a  country  to  lose  through 
your  evil  deeds?  Have  you  a  nation 
which  you  could  degrade  bv  your  ob- 
stinacy and  opposition  to  justice  and 
truth?  Have  you  a  holy  city,  a  holy 
temple  which  you  could  destroy  by 
means  of  your  misdeeds?  And  thus 
these  old  generations  would  keep  on 
answering  you  and  silence  your 
boasting  vanity. 

Now  tell  me,  brethren,  have  we 
reason  to  cease  our  mourning  for  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  of  the 
temple?  Are  we  satisfied  in  claim- 
imr  that  tin-  evils  for  which  our  an- 

o 

cestors  suffered  have  vanished  among 
us?.... Not  yet  is  the  stigma  re- 
moved from  us  that  we  hear  without 
heeding,  that  we  see  without  under- 
standing, that  the  heart  of  Israel  is 
rendered  up  to  the  god  of  material- 
ism and  sensualism  (f^l").  Not  yet 
are  we  purified  from  all  uncleanli- 
ness.  Not  yet  are  we  able  to  change 
the  fast  of  the  fifth  month  into  a  fes- 
tival of  joy  in  accord  with  the  words 
of  Sachariah,  because  the  conditions 
of  this  consummation  require  that  we 
Move  truth  and  peace,'  therefore  they 
are  not  yet  fulfilled.  Our  prayer,  how- 
ever, is  that  God  may  liHsten  the  ad- 
vent of  this  glorious  time  of  joy." 

In  a  confirmation  service  of  1836 
Hindi  said  among  other  thin  ITS: 

••He  who  believes  in  God  only  be- 
cause nobody  ought  to  live  without 
God;  he  who  is  a  .lew  because  ho 
has  no  other  choice,  he  is  compar- 
able to  a  man  adorned  with  costly 
jewels  who  but  sighs  under  his  very 


splendor,   for    while    distinguishing 

him  to  the  eye  it  oppresses  him  If 
we  do  not  recognize  from  conviction 
what  we  have  been  taught  from  earlv 
youth,  then  we  are  simple  slaves  of 
habit  and  custom.  A.  religion  which 

O 

we  only  profess  without  comprehen- 
sion,is  for  the  Jew  what  the  red  mark 
is  on  the  back  of  the  sheep — simply 
a  sign  of  the  owner. 

The  children  of  the  rich  have  no 
advantage  over  the  children  of  the 
poor,  &o  far  as  true  happiness  is  Con- 
cerned, provided  they  have  received 
from  tlieir  parents  a  good  education 
and  are  imbued  with  the  idea  that 
whatever  happens  has  been  sent  by 
God  for  their  good."  If  you  have  reli- 
gion and  fear  of  God  you  may  ex- 
claim with  the  pious  singer:  'Though 
father  and  mother  have  forsaken  me. 
God  will  be  my  protection.'  KMT\ 
calling  and  vocation  has  its  tempta 
tions;  every  trade  has  its  tricks  !>-. 
means  of  which  advantage  and  ga"i 
invite  you  to  practice  dishonesty. 
Take  care  and  beware  of  such  tei- 
rible  wrongs,  lest  ye  iall  on  this  slip- 
pery path.  Fear  God,  who  is  om- 
niscient. If  you  please  him  it  is  well 
with  you,  you  will  acquire  the  high- 
est gain;  if  you  displease  him  no 
wealth  and  no  worldly  riches  can 
ease  your  burdened  conscience.... 
you  would  be  lo*t  for  time  and  eter- 
nity, and  no  finite  influence  would 
be  able  to  rebuild  what  you  have 
destroyed  with  your  own  hands. 
Therefore  come,  children,  listen  to  me ; 
I  will  teach  you  the  fear  of  God  so 


that  you  may  remain  in  the  state  of 
innocence,  notwithstanding  that  you 
leave  the  state  of  childhood.  This 
blessing  consists  in  that  you  may 
everywhere  and  at  all  times  publicly 
acknowledge  your  confession  of  to- 
day, that  you  are  proud  of  the  name 
Jew  not  only  in  words  but  in  heart, 
that  you  become  servants  of  God, 
Israelites  in  whom  he  shalTglory 

tKDns'  ID  -IPX  Sx-i&r 
May  this  hour  be  ever  present  in  your 
minds,  guard  you  from  the  pitfalls 
of  sin,  from  violation  of  morality, 
and  from  desecration  of  the  name 
Jew.  For  me  this  day  finishes  my 
duties  with  you,  but  your  duties  be- 
gin. You  leave  our  small  school  in 
order  to  enter  the  school  of  life,  which 
is  often  very  stormy.  But  if  you  heed 
the  lessons  which  1  have  tried  to  in- 
culcate in  you,  you  need  not  fear 
fate  and  even  evil  cannot  do  you 
harm." 

In  a  sermon  on  Levitic  II,  verse 
44,  "And  ye  shall  sanctify  your- 
selves and  be  holy"  Bloch  shows 
himself  a  preacher  without  fear  who 
is  not  timid  in  conviction  nor  hesi- 
tating in  chastizing  moral  shortcom- 
ings of  the  gravest  nature,  sins  and 
vices  which  modern  moralists  pass  in 
silence.  He  said  among  other  things: 

"Sanctity  consists  in  elevation 
over  sensuality.  If  religion  does  not 
bear  high  fruit,  if  it  does  not  ennoble 
man  morally,  if  it  does  not  raise  his 
human  dignity  then  so  far  is  it  from 
being  a  sanctification  for  him  that  it 
becomes  a  burden  which  weighs  him 


13 

down.  And  while  our  religion  does 
not  encourage  total  abstinence,  does 
not  teach  that  man  can  become  a 
favorite  of  God  by  sacrificing  his 
body  (as  I  have  explained  in  my  ser- 
mon on  the  "Nazir"),  it  is  none  the 
less  the  aim  of  Judaism  that  mmi 
should  control  his  sensuality,  govern 
his  desires  and  appetites.  Only  in 
so  doing  is  man  capable  of  lifting 
himself  from  animalism  to  Godliness." 

The  following  arraignment  of  the 
superficial  argumentation  of  "athe- 
ists" and  "rationalists"  strikes  home 
forcibly  even  in  our  enlightened 
age  of  "agnosticism"  and  "ethical 
culture." 

"Who  can  approve  of  the  despot- 
ism of  reason  which  proclaims  from 
the  housetops  its  philosophy,  so- 
called,  its  followers  hoping  by  so  do- 
ing to  be  considered  wise  people. 
Why?  Is  this  such  a  difficult  accom- 
plishment? Who  is  not 'smart' enough 
to  say,  'I  do  not  believe  this  or  that, 
or,  I  do  not  believe  in  anything.' 
The  Hottentots  say  the  same  thing. 
Hence  they  must  be  regarded  as 
great  philosophers  by  those  enlight- 
ened sceptics  who  deny  everything. 
And  yet  they  are  but  poor  Hotten- 
tots! How  foolish  is  the  heartless 
joy  with  which  our  infidels  proclaim 
their  doubts  and  unbelief,  offering  a* 
it  were  their  poisen  to  healthy  if  ig- 
norant youth.  It  seems  to  me  this 
betrays  weakness  rather  than  strength 
of  rnind.  I  am  afraid  it  is  the  result 
of  a  stricken,  anxious  conscience 
which  seeks  support  in  the  numerical 


14 

Strength  of  a  desired  constituency. 
The  absurdities,  the  superstition  and 
bigotry  which  have  been  added 
to  our  religion  by  people  with- 
out authority  are  most  distasteful  to 
roe.  I  hate  these  excrescences  from 
the  bottom  of  my  heart.  But  let  us  be 
careful  not  to  throw  away  the  kernel 
with  the  shell  (tftw  in  it  tlem  Hade 
auszuschuetten).  Holinesss  is  the 
principal  purpose  of  our  religion, 
holines-s  in  the  elevation  of  our  human 
dignity  by  means  of  religion,  sancti- 
ty of  our  morals,  sanctity  of  our  con- 
duct. Let  us  remove  the  fetters  of 
animal  sensualism  from  Israel,  let  us 
strengthen  the  dominion  of  the  divine 
in  man  over  the  low  appet'tes  and 
desires  of  his  earthly  part/' 

In  a  second  sermon  on  the  same 
subject  he  enters  more  fully  into  de- 
tails and  freely  discusses  local  vices 
and  social  abuses  with  a  courage  and 
independence  which  we  seldom  meet 
in  the  modern  pulpit  of  this  free  re- 
public. In  spite  of  the  boast  of  free 
speech  made  by  the  young  men  who 
occupy  many  a  prominent  pulpit  in 
our  congregations  and  read  essays 
on  "sanitary  plumbing,"  "evolution," 
"Browning"'  and  other  trivial  mat- 
ters (which  are  more  ably  discussed 
in  our  magazines)  whi!  >  -^Mect 

to  deal  with  moral  question!,  convert 

tin-  temple  into  a  It -ctnre-liall,  and 
deprive  the  pulpit  of  :;mate 

function.      <  >f  (  «ur.-'-  tliry  know  what 

ioinir.      In    the    first    place 

<}]••  reading  of  the  so-called  pliil"Hiph- 

ical    essays    is  an  easy  thing  owing 


to  the  large  number  of  period  it-alb, 
magazines,  newspapers  and  encyclo- 
pa'dias  containing  such  essays.  In 
the  second  place  it  pays  better  from 
a  business  point  of  view  and  is  the 
easiest  road  to  cheap  popularity. 
For  if  it  does  not  always  please,  it 
does  not  displease.  Now  it  goes 
without  sayiugtthat  a  sermon  which 
recalls  men  to  their  moral  duties  will 
not  please  everybody,  certainly  not 
the  men  or  women  who  feel  that  the 
words  of  the  preacher  have  struck 
home.  A  discourse,  however,  on 
philosophical  systems  or  historical 
movements  will  not  brush  against 
actual  weakness  or  present  human 
failings.  He  who  covets  above  all 
else  both  the  peace  and  comfort  of 
his  own  position,  and  seeks  mainly 
the  cheap  admiration  of  his  generous 
flock  will  travel  this  road.  It  will 
most  directly  land  him  in  the  port  of 
popularity.  But  he  who  like  Bloch 
does  not  look  upon  the  mission  of  a 
rabbi  as  a  mere  bread  and -butter 
business  will  not  preach  only  to 
please.  He  takes  the  prophet  Isaiah 
as  his  pattern  and  believes  that  the 
preacher's  office  is  to  "call  aloud,  not 
to  hold  back,  and  to  reproach  the 
people  because  of  their  transgres- 
sions and  sins."  True,  these  preach- 
ers had  Mum-times  a  rocky  road  to 
travel.  They  were  n./t  perhaps 

n,  flogged   or    imprisoned    like 
Isaiah.  Micali  or  .len-inijih,    'hut    they 
certainly   did    not    enjoy    tin-    > 
popularity    of  ,     modern 

TS."     The  pulpit  is   either    su- 


perfluous  or  it  is  called  to  talk,  and 
that  without  uncertain  sound,  on  the 
responsibilities  of  human  life.  Abol- 
ish it  altogether  if  there  is  no  room 
for  it  in  this  capacity!  That  sermon 
which  pleases  least  and  arouses  the 
strongest  opposition  is  generally  the 
truest.  It  must  have  struck  home. 
The  outspoken  courageous  pulpit 
may  not  always  be  harvesting  rich 
fruits  of  populnrity,  but  in  the  long 
run  it  will  serve  the  people  best. 

In  this  second  sermon  on  sanctity 
and  morality,  L)r.  Bloch  said: 

"Religion  and  morality  comple- 
ment each  other.  He  who  is  strictly 
moral  is  at  the  same  time  religious 
in  the  broad  sense  of  the  word; 
and  nobody  can  be  religious  who 
is  not  at  the  same  time  morally 
pure  in  action  and  thought.  It  is 
paganism,  not  Judaism,  to  compromise 
with  morality.  We  often  hear  it 
said,  'This  man  is  religious  but  his 
moral  life  is  not  what  it  ought  to  be.' 
This  is  just  as  foolish  as  if  we  said, 
«This  is  a  very  good  man  but  his 
heart  is  very  wicked.'  Morality  is 
not  an  adopted  orphan  on  which  re- 
ligion mercifully  takes  pity.  No,  it 
is  religion's  twin  sister.  It  is  proof 
of  an  utter  misunderstanding  and 
misconception  of  the  word  'morality,' 
if  people  claim  that  the  difference  of 
station  in  life  and  of  age  have  to  bo 
considered  in  its  practice.  There  is 
no  privilege  exempting  anyone  from 
the  dictates  of  morality.  And  yet  it 
is  surprising  how  careless  many  so- 
called  religious  people  are  of  the 


15 

rising  generation,  as  if  youth  were 
an  excuse  for  licentiousness.  I 
touched  upon  this  sore  spot  six 
months  ago,  and  I  would  not  speak  a 
second  time  on  this  subject  were  it 
not  for  the  deplorable  fact  that  the 
sacrifices  to  immorality  and  licen- 
tiousness are  beginning  to  be  alarm- 
ing. I  know  that  today  as  well  as 
half  a  year  ago  my  good  intention 
will  be  misunderstood  and  even  pur- 
posely misrepresented;  but  aside 
from  the  call  of  duty  is  the  appreci- 
ation of  the  truly  good  and  pious  Is- 
raelites,and  this  indemnifies  the  honest 
and  sincere  servant  of  God  in  his 
.thankless  task.  Look  at  the  conse- 
quences of  an  immoral  life — enerva- 
tion, loss  of  good  name  and  las.t  but 
not  least  the  fearful  unhappiness  of 
those  innocent  children  who  come 
into  the  world  without  parents  to 
love  and  care  for  them.  The  name 
of  father,  which  should  be  a  prayer 
to  every  child,  can  never  be  pro- 
nounced by  the  innocent  lips  of 
these  poor  infants  without  bringing 
the  blush  of  shame  to  th^ir  cheeks. 
They  may  speak  this  holy  name  in  joy 
or  in  sorrow  and  nobody  will  answer. 
Oh,  these  poor  sheep  without  a 
shepherd!  Abandoned  by  their  father, 
their  mother's  shame,  these  unfurt- 
unates  grow  up  neglected,  physical, 
intellectual  and  moral  care  ab^-nt. 
And  yet  today  as  once  before,  1  must 
repeat  that  half  the  blame  lies  in  the 
thoughtlessness  with  which  the  edu- 
cation of  children  is  conducted. 
With  open  eyes — or  worse, with  eyes 


16 

purposely  blind — parents  let  their 
children  do  what  they  will.  Therefore 
their  children  evince  no  reverence 
for  them  and  do  not  obey  them.  The 
parents  are  not  the  masters  but  the 
slaves,  yea  the  tortured  slaves  of  the 
children  for  whom  they  labor  hsird 
day  and  night.  But*  the  parents 
simply  reap  the  fruit  they  have  sown, 
the  fruit  of  their  false  education,  and 
pay  back  with  enormous  interest  the 
capital  of  their  folly.  King  David 
never  reprimanded  his  sons,  therefore 
they  inclined  to  sin. 

Man  with  his  propensity  for  evil 
can  become  a  dangerous  mem- 
ber of  society  if  he  does  not  en- 
joy the  benefits  of  a  good  education. 
Therefore  a  public  school  educat  on 
is  the  most  urgent  need  of  the  hour. 
This  benefit  ought  to  be  taken  ad- 
vantage of  with  sincerest  gratitude 
by  every  parent  who  cares  in  the 
least  for  the  happiness  of  his  child. 
How  sad  then  is  the  perverseness  of 
many  fathers  of  families  in  our  midst 
who  consider  it  a  veritable  gain  when 
their  children  miss  school  for  half  a 
day.  Worse  than  this,  in  order  to 
miss  school  with  impunity  the  child 
is  actually  taught  by  his  parents  to 
invent  all  sorts  of  lies  and  excuses. 
Do  we  not  see  to  our  great  sorrow 
how  parents  employ  every  imagina- 
ble device  in  order  to  effect  a  dismissal 
of  their  children  from  school  before 
they  have  attained  the  legal  age?  It 
is  shameful  that  fathers  and  particu- 
larly mothers  in  time  of  school  ex- 
aminations virtually  storm  the  offices 


of  the  school  inspectors  as  a  mob  be- 
sieges a  bakery  in  time  of  fanv.ne. 
And  all  this  in  order  to  deprive 
their  offspring  of  the  benefits  of  edu- 
cation.* All  this  is  bad  seed  pro- 
ductive of  poisonous  fruit,  a  sin  of 
the  parents  for  which  the  children 
suffer.  May  the  day  soon  come  of 
which  the  prophet  said,  'God  will 
turn  the  heart  of  parents  to  their 
children  and  of  children  to  their  pa- 
rents. JT3N  3^  Tl'Vll  Amen." 

In  a  sermon  delivered  February 
10,  1828,  in  Kappel,  '\Vuertetnberg, 
on  the  text,  "And  Israel  saw  the 
great  work  which  God  did  upon  the 
Egyptians  and  the  people  were  afraid 
of  God  and  they  believed  in  God" 
(Kxodus  chap.  14,  31),  Bloch  siid 
the  following  good  things. 

'•It  is  common  experience  that 
many  people  enter  the  halls  of  light 
and  salvation  only  through  the  por- 
tals of  darkness  and  misery.  So  it 
was  in  gray  antiquity,  so  it  is  today. 
For  mankind,  so  far  as  weakness  is 
concerned,  remains  nearly  the  same 
in  all  ages  and  climes.  The  great 
tokens  of  love  and  kindness  shown 
by  Jehovah  to  Israel  made  little  im- 
pression upon  them.  But  the  chas- 
tizing hand,  the  destructive  power 
of  God  caused  them  to  fear  him. 
After  the  terrible  punishments  they 
exclaimed  'God  is  great.'  But  ju*t 
as  little  as  a  father  wishes  to  be 
dreaded  by  his  children  instead  of 
being  loved  by  them,  so  little  does 

*As  a  rule  the  boys  went  peddling  or 
engaged  in  the  cattle  busln- 


God  wish  for  the  slavish  fear  of  those 
whom  he  saves  from  sorrow.  Our 
sages  beautifully  remark: 

n-pB>  onoiN  Dnxi  D'u  unta  -P  wo 

(Thy  creatures  perished  in  the  sea 
and  you  want  to  sing  hymns  of 
praise?)  If  calamity  and  sorrow  is 
the  only  reason  for  recognition  of  the 
love  of  the  Most  High,  then  recogni- 
tion is  of  little  moral  value.  It  is 
not  favorable  to  humanity  that  so 
few  people  lift  up  their  eyes  to  God, 
until  they  have  been  hurled  from 
their  heights  into  the  depth  of  misery 
and  are  utterly  unable  to  rise  by 
their  own  efforts.  Then  of  a  sudden 
man  becomes  religious;  he  grows  in 
piety  and  weakness  at  the  same  time. 
Then  from  belief  in  nothing  to  faith 
in  everything  is  only  a  short  step. 
Today  he  does  not  believe  in  God, 
tomorrow  if  circumstances  require  it 
he  will  believe  in  God  and  in  all  the 
saints.  So  it  was  with  ancient  Is- 
rael. First  these  small  narrow-mind- 
ed people  exclaimed  in  dismay,  'Let 
us  return  to  Egypt-'  Trust  in  God 
had  fallen  below  zero.  But  as  soon 
as  they  were  delivered  from  the 
abyss  of  despair  and  could  again 
freely  lift  their  heads  lo,  and  behold 


they  believed  not  only  in  God  but 
in  his  servant  Moses.  But  what 
should  we  expect  of  such  one-day 
flowers?  As  soon  as  there  was  a 
dearth  of  water,  all  their  boasted  fear 
of  God  and  respect  for  his  prophet 
departed.  Now  you  may  say  theso 
were  slaves  just  freed  from  their 


17 

chains.  But  pray,  how  is  it  in  this 
respect  among  the  free  sons  of  our 
enlightened  a<:e?  I)o  we  not  usually 
enter  light  through  darkness''  Only 
affliction  causes  us  to  look  up 
to  God;  only  through  his  help 
comes  our  faith.  Many  among  us 
are  so  great  in  their  own  eyes  that 
they  do  not  believe  in  the  greatness 
and  power  of  God  until  they  have 
become  small  indeed  and  quite  pow- 
erless. Such  faith  however  is  but 
fear  of  the  wrath  of  the  Almighty,  is 
not  elevation  but  degradatio 
bowing  down  in  cowardice.  But 
why  should  the  present  generation 
with  its  experience  and  accumulated 
knowledge  of  so  many  thousmd 
years  not  attain  a  higher  standard  of 
civilization,  culture  and  dignitv  as 
men  and  Israelites  than  did  our  an- 
cestors after  their  delivery  from 
slavery?  This  will  be  clear  to  us 
when  we  bear  in  mind  the  every -day 
life  of  the  Israelite.  All  he  cares  for 
is  materialism.  'How  can  I  better 
my  financial  affairs?'  This  is  the  only 
question  which  interests  him.  This 
is  his  thought  when  awake,  his 
dream  when  asleep.  Higher,  ideal 
things  do  not  exist  for  him.  He 
only  thinks  of  God  when  in  trouble. 
Is  it  then  any  wonder  that  the  people 
have  no  true  conception  of  God?  To 
the  one  he  appears  simply  as  a  rich 
capitalist  of  whom  he  expects 
aid  in  financial  embarrassment;  to  the 
other  as  a  physician  whose  skill  may 
cure  him  of  some  bodily  pain. 

But  this  is  all  wronir.      \Ve  ought 
to  serve  God   in   joy,    gladness,  and 


18 

while  we  are  in  possession  of  the 
good  things  of  life.  2>  21C21  T— :L"Z 
Then  and  then  only  Israel  would  be 
in  truth  'holy  peopleV 

In  a  sermon  on  the  eighth  com- 
mandment "Thou  shalt  not  steal," 
delivered  November  5,  1836,  we  find 
the  following  passages,  particularly 
interesting  because  of  the  great  cour- 
age of  the  preacher  in  enunciating 
them.  Among  all  the  lectures  and 
sermons  which  we  have  seen  in  the 
« wel  ve  years  in  this  country — and 
there  ;irc  more  sermons  published 
here  than  in  Europe — not  one  treated 
on  the  important  subject  of  cornmer 
<-ial  honesty."" 

"The  best  commentators  on  the 
eighth  commandment  are  they  who 
have  been  themselves,  by  their  inno- 
cent credulity  and  inexperience  vic- 
tims of  the  crafty  and  artful  tricks  of 
those  in  whose  honesty  they  had 
faith.  They  know  best  what  the 
words  'Thou  shalt  not  steal'  mean 
who  have  had  to  pay  dearly  to  their 
teachers — \vh«>  :>y  the  way  generally 
belong  to  the  upper  strata  of  society 
— and  who  at  the  end  of  their  appren- 
ticeship have  come  to  the  conclusion 
that  2::n  S^  had  a  wider  and  br 
meaning  than  is  usually  accepted. 
They  have  learned  that  many  a  busi- 
•!ian  flipping  tin-  reputation  of 

a  rig'  .  st,  charitable 

airl  fairdcalmg  man  in    the    light    of 

Id  stand 
victed  of  Yibited  in  the 

;y    In    this 


eighth  commandment,  a  thief  in  dis- 
guise, a  wolf  in  sheep's  clothing. 
This  apprentice  will  prove  to  us  by 
bitter  experience  that  those  thieves 
are  the  most  dangerous  who  under- 
stand how  to  evade  the  arm  of  jus- 
tice, slipping  like  eels  through  the 
meshes  of  the  law's  net  and  hiding 
their  iniquity  under  the  flag  of  an 
honest  face.  Is  the  murderer  who 
kills  by  slow  poison  more  excusable 
than  the  one  who  strikes  with  the  axe 
at  the  head  of  his  victim?  Does  he 
who  robs  his  fellowmen  by  cheating, 
forgery,  false  pretenses,  lies,  tricks, 
fraudulent  failures  and  other  means 
contained  in  the  text  ^ooks  of  crime 
break  in  a  less  degree  the  eighth 
commandment  than  the  burglar  who 
breaks  at  night  into  your  house  and 
steals  your  property?  The  one  is 
robbed  in  the  darkness  of  night  and 
the  other  in  the  darkness  of  his  inex- 
perience. We  think  the  latter  kind 
of  theft  is  worse. 

Against  the  burglar  we  can  use 
precaution,  but  who  can  <niard  him- 
self against  a  treacherous  friend  who 
takes  mean  advantage  of  our  trust- 
fulness. How  can  the  dove  guard 
against  the  nrtful  serpent?  Tl; 
trayal  of  tha  trust  of  our  fellowmen 
is  justly  condemned  by  ourold  - 
as  Mil-  utal  and  moral  theft.'  They 
say  'It  is  forbidden  to  steal  the  con- 
fidence of  a  man  be  he  Jew  or  hea- 
then." In  fact  an  honest  man  will  be 
more  mortified  by  such  a  theft  than 
by  the  theft  of  property.  And  yet, 
while  it  is  deemed  a  lisfraco  to  be  a 


burglar  there  are  any  number  of 
Jews  who  claim  that  the  eighth 
commandment  is  not  broken  by 
fraudulence,  lying,  denying,  abet- 
ting theft  and  other  acts  of  deceit. 
The  commercial  language  has  other 
and  euphonious  names  for  this  kind  of 
stealing.  Cheating  is  called  'taking 
advantage  of  an  opportunity,'  deny- 
ing is  styled  'proper  precaution,' 
'keeping  stolen  goods  is  called  'con- 
cealing what  one  knows,'  a  'word  of 
honor'is  merely  a  pretty  phrase  which 
none  of  the  parties  take  seriously, 
and  'thou  shalt  not  steal'  means  only 
'thou  shalt  not  be  a  house  breaker.' 
There  are  those  who  in  order  to  alle- 
viate their  conscience  for  having 
made  a  beggar  of  many  au  honest 
man,  give  alms  to  beggars  and  strike 
their  breast  in  the  synagogue.  Some 
of  these  Jews  try  to  find  an  excuse 
for  their  thievish  proclivities  by  dis- 
criminating between  their  corelig- 
ionists and  gentiles,  taking  advan- 
tage of  the  passage  iniD  V3  TWO  (If 
a  heathen  makes  a  mistake  in  busi- 
ness you  may  profit  by  it),  for  the 
purpose  of  defrauding  a  non-Jew. 
Such  acts  are  contemptible.  Sup- 
pose a  rabbi  in  the  heat  of  passion, 
perhaps  while  irritated  by  the  great 
wrongs  afflicting  the  persecuted 
Jews,  uttered  this  unfortunate  sen- 
tence in  the  time  of  heathendom? 
Why  do  these  thieves  not  follow  the 
injunctions  of  Maimonidesand  numer- 
ous others  of  our  ^a^es  and  teachers 

B 

who  implicitly  prohibited  fraud 
whether  committed  against  Jew  or 


19 

gentile?  But  alas,  these  hypocrites 
use  the  laws  only  for  their  advantage 
and  gain,  and  translate  scripture  to 
suit  their  avarice.  But  the  fate  of 
such  people  is  most  deplorable. 
They  do  not  reap  the  rewards  of  their 
dishonesty.  The  fate  of  those  who 
build  their  fortunes  on  the  ruins  of 
their  defrauded  and  robbed  fellow- 
men  is  most  sad,  worse  than  that  of 
their  victims.  For  as  the  prophet 
Jeremiah  exclaims,  'He  who  acquires- 
wealth  by  dishonest  means  %ill 
loose  it  in  the  midst  of  his  days.* 
And  when  the  last  hour  of  his  earthly 
career  strikes  at  least  two  witnesses 
will  testify  against  him;  one  is  God, 
who  knows  all  things,  the  other  is  his 
conscience  which  will  rise  as  a  merci- 
less accuser  against  him.  The  sinner 
cannot  deny  his  transgressions;  they 
are  written  on  his  conscience.  The 
stolen  money  clings  to  his  hands, 
his  house  is  full  of  it,  his  medicine  is 
bought  with  it,  the  prayer-book  on 
wnich  he  offers  his  soul  to  the  All- 
merciful,  the  garments  in  which  he 
will  be  buried,  the  costly  monument 
on  which  the  words,  'Lo  thou  shalt 
not  steal'  ought  to  be  engraved,  the 
inheritance  which  he  leaves  his 
children,  all  are  the  reward  of  theft. 
Would  it  not  be  far  better  if  lie 
had  left  less  to  his  children  and  died 
a  righteous  man?  Would  it  not 
have  been  far  better  for  him  to  re- 
ceive a  charity  burial  and  have  de- 
parted from  life  an  honest  man? 
Then  it  could  have  been  said  of  him, 
He  would  rather  die  a  poor  man 


than  enjoy  unrighteous  riches;  he 
left  no  money  to  his  heirs  but  he  left 
to  them  the  heritage  of  a  good  name 
and  the  value  of  a  good  example, 
which  is  preferable  to  a  large  inher- 
itance burdened  with  the  curses  of 
ruined,  cheated,  robbed  and  defraud- 
ed men,  women  and  children  who 
will  accuse  him  before  the  throne  of 
judgment  for  his  sins  against 
2U:n  vh  'thou  shalt  not  steal'." 

In  a  sermon  on  Pharaoh's  dream 
•tuber  30,  1837,  delivered  in 
Kappel)  Block  said  among  other 
things: 

"Our  religion  is  free  from  that  form 
of  prejudice  which  would  have  it 
that  man  cannot  evade  his  destiny. 
No;  we  endorse  the  taltnudical  saying 
"S'"'?  Sf9  pK  Israel  does  not  believe 
in  luck,  stars,*  fate,  or  destiny;  God 
alone  is  our  ruler. ...  If  a  man  should 
say,  'I  shall  do  absolutely  nothing 
in  this  or  that  emergency,  1  shall 
turn  no  hand  to  avert  this  or  that 
calamity,  but  leave  it  entirely  in  the 
hands  of  God,  come  what  may,'  etc., 
let  us  beware  of  seeing  in  such  words 
piety,  religion  and  unconditional  fear 
of  God.  Resignation  is  good,  but 
we  must  first  do  our  utmost  t<i  H\  ert 
misfortune  or,  at  least,  to  mitigate  it. 
To  say:  ni-r  pryz  2  en  n  c-I...t 
God  do  whatsoever  lie,  (It-ems  right"), 
is  cer'ainly  comforting.  Hut  it  is  not 
seldom  that  thi-»  ]>  1  by 

hypocrites  in  order  to  palliate  their 
indolence  or  recklessness.  They  are 

*  Masol  literally  means  star. 


ashamed  of  their  inactivity  and  there- 
fore give  it  the  color  of  piety  and  sanc- 
timoniousness. Yet  such  perversity 
is  a  sin  against  God  and  against  self. 
It  murders  man's  ambition  and  is 
disobedience  to  God,  who  sends  bur- 
dens not  that  we  should  succumb 
to  their  weight,  but  that  we  may 
test  our  moral  strength  thereby.  We 
have  our  years  of  plenty  and  our 
years  of  want  as  they  in  Egypt  had. 
Let  nobody  say,  'If  God  did  not  in- 
tend that  I  should  spend  today  all  I 
possess  he  would  not  have  given  it 
to  me.'  No;  God  entrusts  our  be- 
longings to  our  wisdom  and  insight. 
Else  why  would  he  have  ordered 
that  in  winter  the  fields  should  be 
bare  and  dreary  while  in  summer 
they  are  full  and  blessed.  Only 
when  we  have  done  our  very  best 
and  are  yet  unable  to  save  for  a 
rainy  day  may  we  conscientiously 
exclaim,  'Those  that  trust  in  God 
will  not  be  ashamed.  Whenever  our 
own  strength  is  at  an  end,  the  mercy 
of  God,  which  is  endless,  will  show 
itself.  Happy  is  he  who  trusts  in 
God'-" 

From  a  sermon  on  Gen.  xviii.  20 
—23  on  Abraham's  prayer  for  So- 
dom (N'o\  emlier  '5,  Is:)1.),  delivered 
in  Buohau),  which  we  consider  one  of 
Bloch's  best  efforts,  we  cull  the  fol- 
lowing pas.-ages: 

"Translated  into  occidental  phrase- 
ology this  chapter  conveys  the  fol- 
lowing idea:  No  matter  how  large 
the  number  of  the  wicked  nor  how 
small  that  of  the  righteous  people, 


there  is  nevertheless  hope  for  a  place 
wherein  will  be  glorified  the  few  good 
men  because  of  the  example  they 
set  and  because  of  the  influence  they 
exert.  Better  that  a  thousand  sin- 
ners go  unpunished  than  that  one 
innocent  man  be  injured  in  his  right, 
was  the  burden  of  Abraham's  suppli- 
cations. Abraham's  true  greatness 
was  his  unselfishness.  If  a  man  is 
only  good  for  himself  and  his  imme- 
diate family,  then  he  cannot  yet  be 
styled  a  righteous  man.  His  so-called 
goodness  is  nothing  but  egotism, 
selfishness  and  narrowmindedness. 
Not  to  injure  or  disturb  others  is,  to 
be  sure,  right;  but  it  is  no  more  than 
our  bounden  duty,  and  by  no  means 
a  meritorious  virtue.  He  who  does 
no  evil  has  not  therefore  done  good. 
By  letting  others  do  as  they  please, 
be  it  good  or  evil,  he  has  done  noth- 
ing for  humanity.  The  most  worth- 
less of  fellows,  who  cares  for  others 
no  more  than  for  himself,  does  that 
much.  The  man  who  claims  to  be 
pious,  but  secludes  himself  from  the 
world,  does  nothing  for  or  against 
that  world,  and  proves  by  this  his 
indifference  or  contempt  for  those 
with  whom  he  will  not  have  inter- 
course. We  justly  blame  the  rich 
who  use  their  wealth  and  treasures 
for  their  own  pleasure  and  enjoy- 
ment only.  How  much  more  does 
he  deserve  our  unmitigated  contempt 
who,  over  conscious  of  his  moral 
wealth  and  virtue,  raises  himself 
above  others,  not  thereby  to  lift  them 
up  to  his  standard,  but  to  look  down 


21 

upon  them!  The  Midrash  has  the 
following  to  say  on  the  subject,  'A 
wise  man,  well  versed  in  the  intrica- 
cies of  Jewish  lore,  who  when  some- 
times accosted  by  an  orphan  or 
widow  to  decide  a  case  for  them, 
would  answer,  4I  have  no  time,  I 
must  study.'  Of  him  God  says,  'You 
have  destroyed  the  world'.  (Rabba 
Exodus,  chap.  xxx.  D'ODt^D)  What 
would  we  think  of  a  physician  who, 
called  to  give  advice  m  case  of  dan- 
gerous sickness,  would  excuse  him- 
self saying,  'I  have  to  study.'  And 
so,  even  so,  are  some  of  our  pious 
men  like  a  tree  of  thorns  in  the  des- 
ert, towering  high  but  giving  neither 
shade  nor  fruit.  What  an  absurdi- 
ty! To  believe  in  God,  but  to  be  of 
no  benefit  to  man!  It  is  certainly 
cheaper  to  serve  God  than  to  serve 
the  poor.  But  God  despises  ^uch 
servants,  who  only  serve  themselves, 
and  expect  even  for  that  service  a 
great  reward.  The  truly  pious  men 
in  Israel  ought  to  take  Abraham  as 
their  model,  and  serve  others." 

In  a  sermon  (February  57,  1836, 
delivered  in  Buchau)  on  a  text 
from  Ezechiel,  "Speak  to  the  house 
of  Israel,  that  they  may  feel  ashamed 
of  their  sins,"  we  rea<]:  "They  may 
well  be  ashamed  of  their  fins,  for  in- 
deed these  sins  are  disgraceful,  be- 
cause their  origin  is  the  polluted 
source  of  evil  passions.  These  are 
selfishness  and  egotism,  which  make 
money  their  god,  the  strong-box 
their  temple,  bow  down  before  it, 
and  pray  to  it.  The  egotibt  reveres 


22 

his  God  most  when  no  sacrifices  are 
demanded  of  him.  The  least  gift  to 
charity  appears  to  him  like  a  painful 
abridgement  of  his  means  for  per- 
sonal gratification.  Whenever  he  is 
asked  to  contribute  something  for  a 
temple  he  is  frightened.  For  he 
sees  in  the  temple  an  enemy  to  the 
only  god  he  worships;  namely,  his 
money.  Such  people  will  tell  you 
that  principle  restrain*  their  gener- 
osity because  they  do  not  believe 
in  alms-giving  to  temples.  Do  not 
believe  them.  They  try  to  hide  their 
selfishness,  sordidness,  narrowmind- 
edness  and  egotism  under  the  broad 
cloak  of  so-called  infidelity  and 
atheism.  They  are  no  atheists; 
those  who  call  themselves  such  be- 
believe  in  a  God,  not  in  the  God  of 
Israel,  but  in  the  golden  calf.  It  is 
very  easy  to  appear  'enlightened;'  it 
is  also  very  cheap.  Their  claim  to 
be  more  charitable  than  others  is 
hollow  pretense  and  mockery.  They 
certainly  make  money  by  the  per- 
formance and  get  cheap  advertise- 
ment as  'philanthropists.'  It  is  sham, 
show  and  false  pretense. 

And,  after  all,  what  does  all  se'f- 
ishness  amount  to?  You  cannot  eat 
more  than  your  appetite  craves,  you 
cannot  wear  more  than  one  coat  or 
one  pair  of  shoes  at  a  time.  And 
whether  they  who  inherit  your  wealth 
will  thank  you  for  having  been 
known  all  vour  lifetime  as  a  selfish 

* 

man    i*    a    question  which  cannot  be 
ared. 

Aii'l,  in  tl:.-   <-n<l,    .-v.-r\     contribu- 


tion to  a  good  public  cause  ought  to 
fill  even  the  most  selfish  with  a  feel- 
ing of  joy  in  the  consciousness  of 
duty  well  performed." 

Following  is  an  extract  from  a 
Passover  sermon  (Buchau,  March  30, 
1839)  on  the  text:  "I  am  the  Lord 
your  God,  who  brought  you  out  of 
the  land  of  Egypt  to  be  your  God." 

"Israel's  history  of  the  Exodus 
from  Egypt  is  the  first  lesson  show- 
ing how  the  force  of  tyranny  in  the 
end  is  instrumental  in  its  own  de- 
struction, and  how  oppression  at  last 
is  righted.  Israel  was  the  first  op- 
pressed nation.  Its  history  begins 
with  a  demonstration  of  the  consol 
ing  fact  that  every  wickedness  com- 
mitted by  man  against  humanity  will 
be  punished.  Since  nations  have 
suffered  from  the  despotism  of  un- 
just rulers,  have  sighed  under  the 
iron  yoke  of  tyrants,  have  been 
robbed  of  their  right  and  liberties, 
they  have  looked  upon  Israel's  re- 
demption from  Egyptian  slavery  us 
an  encouraging  sign  that  servitude 
of  man  is  hateful  to  God.  The  same 
God  who  redeemed  Israel  from  the 
bondage  of  Egypt  will  ultimately 
help  all  his  children  and  save  them 
from  unjust  oppression  and  misery. 
....This  festival  commands  us  to 
impress  upon  our  children  the  mean- 
ing of  liberty  within  the  limits  of 
law. .  ..But  it  also  teaches  us'  that 
Israel's  mission  is  freedom,  and  that 
a  slavish  fear  in  religion  or  in  poli- 
tics is  unworthy  -)f  a  moral  man. 
Our  religion  is  rooted  in  religioua 


and  political  liberty.  Therefore  it 
could  only  become  the  possession  of  a 
free  people.  Israel  had  first  to  be 
freed  from  bondage  before  it  could 
be  made  worthy  of  the  blessing  of 
the  Ten  Commandments.  Many  en- 
emies of  Israel  reproach  us  with  pos- 
sessing a  slavish  submission.  To  this 
we  can  proudly  answer:  Our  relig- 
ion is  not  the  cause  of  our  submis- 
sion. Wherever  that  is  found  it  is 
the  result  of  conditions  which  op- 
press and  crush  the  Jewish  spirit,  the 
consequence  of  a  sin  committed 
against  the  Jew  by  his  bitter  ene- 
mies. This  charge  ought  to  burden 
the  conscience  of  those  who  make 
it,  not  ours.  If  the  Jew  is  accused 
of  cringing  and  fawning,  his  relig- 
ion is  not  responsible  for  that.  Wher- 
evr  the  Jew  has  been  treated  like 
a  worm  he  has  perforce  kissed  the 
dust.  But  wherever  he  is  permitted 
to  live  unmolested  there  he  proves 
his  manhood,  conscious  of  his  Juda- 
ism, conscious  of  his  dignity  as  a 
servant  of  God  who  cannot  be  the 
slave  of  man." 

In  a  sermon  on  Succoth  (Septem- 
ber 26,  1836)  Block  ingeniously 
claims  that  the  reason  why  the  feast 
of  booths  is  so  little  celebrated  is  be- 
cause in  an  age  of  luxury  people 
hate  to  be  reminded  of  the  simplici- 
ty of  life  as  symbolized  by  the  tent 
and  tabernacle.  Another  reason  is 
given;  that  is,  that  Israel  is  no  longer 
an  agricultural  people. 

In  a  sermon  on  jnivo  y'i?n  deliv- 
ered in  1836  in  Kappel,  Bloch  said: 


23 

"Forourgeneration  with  its  changed 
conditions  these  precepts  and  Jaws 
appear  to  be  a  dead  letter  without 
living  application.  The  men  of 
science  and  not  teachers  of  religion 
hnve  nowadays  to  watch  over  the 
physical  welfare  of  man.  But  to  the 
priest  and  teacher  of  religion  is  as- 
signed the  more  difficult  task  of 
guarding  over  man's  spiritual  wel- 
fare, to  cure  moral  diseases  and  to 
decide  what  is  pure  or  impure  in  the 
body  politic  of  a  community,  state  or 
nation. 

The  physician  of  the  soul  will  also 
find  different  symptoms  of  diseases 
which  are  apparent  not  only  in  the 
body,  but  in  the  surroundings  of 
man,  in  his  house  and  garments.  The 
state  of  a  sick  soul  and  a  diseased 
spirit  is  worse  than  sickness  of  the 
flesh.  Just  think  of  Isaiah's  descrip- 
tion of  such  a  state:  'Woe,  sinful 
nation,  people  laden  with  iniquity, 
seed  of  evildoers,  children  that  are 
corrupt  !  They  have  forsaken  the 
Lord,  have  incensed  the  Holy  One 
of  Israel;  they  are  gone  backward.' 
Can  there  be  a  more  dangerous  poi- 
son than  sin?  (.'an  there  be  a  more 
terrible  disease  than  that  which  makes 
him  loathe  the  joys  of  virtue,  makes 
him  forsake  God,  makes  him  depart 
from  the  way  of  righteousness! 
Therefore  the  prophet  says:  'With 
the  disease  of  your  soul  your  whole 
body  is  diseased.'  Why  will  ye  be 
stricken  yet  more?  Every  mind  is 
sick,  every  heart  is  faint.  From  thp 
sole  of  the  foot  even  unto  the  head 


24 

there  is  no  soundness  in  it;  but 
wounds  and  bruises  and  putrefying1 
sores;  they  have  not  been  closed,  nor 
bound  up,  nor  mollified  with  oil. 
(Isa.  14-7.)  Thus  the  physician  of 
the  soul  has  to  engage  in  the  most 
difficult  and  most  noble  art,  to  find 
a  cure  for  the  leprosy  of  a  sinful 
heart.  I  say  most  difficult  art.  be- 
cause he  has  the  thankless  task  of 
finding  out  the  disease,  of  discover- 
ing it  under  the  hypocritical  sem- 
blance of  health.  If  a  person  hurts 
his  finger  he  cries,  woe,  woe,  because 
of  his  pain.  But  let  his  soul  be  pol- 
luted with  the  poison  of  fcin,  let  his 
heart  be  consumed  by  the  fires  of 
passion,  he  will  simulate  health,  ami 
shun  every  remedy  offered  him  by 
religion.  Is  it  not  difficult  to  heal 
when  the  wound  is  concealed,  the 
pain  denied?  And  yet  sin  is  the 
disease  of  the  soul,  wickedness  is  the 
leprosy  of  the  heart.  'Oh,  if  I  only 
could  regain  gocd  health,  could  get 
rid  of  this  or  that  bodily  pain,'  is  the 
cry  and  prayer  of  all  those  afflicted 
with  some  physical  disease.  But 
how  seldom  do  we  wish  to  be  cured 
from  the  ills  of  the  heart  and  soul! 
And  yet  sin  lurks  before  the  door 
and  there  is  no  man  living  who  can 
say  'I  have  never  sinned.'  The 
physician  who  can  cure  leprosy  of 
••-.  PS  to  In-  railed  a  priest 
of  the  most  holy  God.  I  wish  that 
you  would  value  higher  a  healthy 
soul  than  a  healthy  body,  and  that 
you  would  ohev  the  instructions  and 
precepts  of  tli  f  the  soul 


just  as  strictly  as  you  obey  those  of 
the  physician  of  the  body. 

Let  a  physician  declare  a  disease 
as  contagious  and  dangerous  and 
everybody  will  shun  the  patient,  and 
the  fiat  'unclean'  will  rob  the  sick 
man  so  afflicted  of  pity  and  human 
aid.  But  let  a  physician  of  the  soul 
dare  to  warn  his  congregation  of  the 
danger  of  contagion  arising  from 
keeping  company  with  incorrigible 
sinners  and  chronic  evildoers  and  his 
word  will  hardly  be  heard.  The 
boundary  line  between  the  pure  and 
impure  is  most  carelessly  overstepped, 
as  if  the  health  of  the  soul  were  a 
valueless  charge.  Instead  of  thanks 
and  rewards  the  priest  receives  scorn 
and  sneers. 

And  yet  the  physician  of  the  soul 
has  the  duty  of  seeing  the  patient 
though  he  may  not  call  him,  for  he 
does  not  consider  himself  sick.  In 
fact  the  more  the  patient  refuses 
spiritual  medicines  the  more  is  it 
needed,  and  in  God's  name  the  phy- 
sician has  to  pronounce  'clean'  or 
'unclean,'  as  the  case  may  be.  It  is 
his  duty  to  watch  most  carefully 
over  the  soal  of  those  under  his  care, 
to  cleanse  the  impure,  to  keep  the 
pure  from  contagion,  and  to  decide 
in  acc.or  i  with  scriptural  ordin 

If  the  poison  of  sin  and  corruption 
has  taken  full  possession  of  a  man, 
if  the  leprosy  of  wickedness  and  evil 
fills  every  thought  and  sentiment  of 
this  unfortunate  to  such  an  extent 
that  there  is  absolutely  no  room  for 
g  tod,  no  redeeming  feature  at  all  in 


him,  thea  everybody  will  naturally 
shun  him,  his  example  is  no  more 
contagious,  or  as  scripture  puts  it, 
'If  the  leprosy  has  spread  over  the 
whole  body,  then  the  man  is  clean.' 
Kin  lino  T3i)  1»an  VMS  which  means 
that  there  is  no  danger  of  contagion. 
He  is  known  bv  his  color.  If  even 
gray  hair  and  old  age  have  no  power 
to  bring  the  evildoer  to  his  senses,  if 
he  continues  in  his  sinfulness  in  the 
winter  of  his  life,  then  every  hope  .is 
lost,  the  color  of  death  does  not 
leave  him. 

:inix  NDBI  jmn  inx-n  pS  inn  ym  -\yw 


In  the  garments,  in  the  houses,  the 
leprosy  is  visible.  Do  we  not  see 
the  vanities  and  follies  of  men,  par- 
ticularly in  their  apparel  and  home? 
Is  not  many  a  garment  unclean  in 
spite  of  its  splendor  ?  Everybody 
desires  to  shine  by  the  outward  ap- 
pearance of  his  dress.  The  dress 
makes  the  man,  we  are  often  told. 
The  garment  is  made  to  cover  not 
only  the  nakedness  of  the  body  but 
that  of  the  soul.  Show,  sham,  out- 
ward appearance  are  to  give  a  sem- 
blance of  respectability  and  to  cover 
the  emptiness  of  heart  and  mind. 
'Impure'  is  in  such  cases  the  decision 
of  the  priest.  Where  dress  betrays 
vanity,  shallowness,  the  ridiculous 
hauteur  of  those  who  wear  it,  where 
the  high  price  and  cut  of  a  garment 
are  criterions  for  the  estimate  of  men 
and  women,  there  everything  is  sham, 
false,  counterfeit,  'impure.'  Fine 
dresses  bought  with  stolen  money, 
and  gorgeous  residences  built  by 


25 

means  of  fraud,  theft  and  cheating 
are  unclean,  impure,  an  abomination 
in  the  eyes  of  God.  And  the  priest 
and  the  religious  teacher  must  have 
the  courage  to  say  so  even  at  the 
risk  of  losing  popularity. 

Ob,  beware  of  impurity,  of  that 
moral  leprosy  which  poisons  heart 
and  mind.  Such  diseases  are  just 
as  contagious  as  the  bodily  ilia. 
They  are  transmitted  from  parent  to 
child  and  grandchild  by  means  of 
blood  and  education.  They  are  a 
curse  from  generation  to  generation ; 
the  moral  impurity  of  the  fathers 
clings  to  the  children  like  leprosy  and 
is  ahno-t  impossible  to  eradicate. 
Be,  therefore,  pure  before  God 
and  men." 

Now  this  may  be  considered  too 
strong  and  perhaps  not  high  toned 
enough  to  suit  the  tastes  of  our  mod- 
ern dudes  and  dudines.  It  may  not 
be  good  policy  to  say  such  things 
from  01  r  pulpits.  'We  are  sure  if 
Bloch  would  have  been  guided  by 
confederations  of  diplomacy  he  would 
hardly  have  spoken  in  this  strain. 
But  this  style  of  preaching  is  cer- 
tainly a  nearer  approach  to  the  ideal 
of  our  great  prophets  than  the  present 
so  called  American  Jewish  pulpit, 
with  its  essays  on  subjects  which  do 
not  belong  to  the  pulpit.  There  are 
of  course  some  honorable  exceptions 
to  the  rule,  there  are  yet  rabbis — 
and  the  more  learned  ones  at  that — 
who  have  the  courage  and  ability  to 
tell  the  people  not  what  they  want 
but  what  they  need,  thus  saving  our 


26 

pulpit  from  a  decline.       Let  us  hope      contribute       eomewhat     toward      a 

that   the  presentation   of    these   ex-      healthy  reaction   in   the   direction  of 

tracts  from  Rabbi  Moses  Block's  ser-      reform. 

mons,  delivered  sixty  years  ago,  will 


THE  FOLLOWING  PUBLICATIONS  CAN  BE  OBTIANED 
DIRECTLY  FROM  THE  AUTHOR. 

Reformed  Judaism  and  Its  Pioneers 

A  Contrition  to  its  History. 


BY  DR.  EMMANUEL  SCHREIBER, 

Rabbi,  Toledo,  O. 
(400  pages),  reduced  $1.50. 

Dr.  I.  M.  Wise,  of  Cincinnati,  who  read  a  few  chapters  of  the 
liad  the  following  editorial   in    his   paper,    The    American   Israelite,    of 
March  11,  1892: 

"Dr.  Scbreiber's  book,  'Reformed  Judaism,'  has  left  the  press  and  will  be 
out  in  a  few  days,  It  is  actually  a  history  of  the  birth  and  rise  of  Modern  Juda- 
ism in  Germany  and  England.  Besides  Dr.  Stern,  in  Frankfort  on  the-Main, 
aod  before  him  Dr.  Jost,  in  1S45,  both  of  whose  works  are  Incomplete,  no  one  has 
given  us  a  connected  history  of  this  important  topic.  We  expect  Dr.  Schreiber 
has  done  It,  as  he  masters  the  entire  material,  and  is  not  prejudiced  against  it  as 
Dr.  Qraetz  was,  and  the  writer  of  the  chapter  on  America  in  the  addition  to 
Lady  Magnus's  book.  We  are  to  get  in  good  English  a  history  of  the  birth  and 
rise  of  Modern  Judaism." 

I  )r.  K.  Kohler,  New  York,  says: 

'"I  have  .1  to  the  work  on  Reform  Judaism   by  Dr.  Schreiber  and 

recommend  the  same  in  view  of  the  many  interesting  facts  concerning  the  his- 
tory of  the  reform  and  the  reform  pioneers  it  contains  to  all  friends  of  reform 
and  progress. H 


•  VIV3IIV./  JVJ 


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